What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

My wife and I bought 15 acres of pasture and pecan groves that had been used strictly for hay for over 25 years. No one really knows how long the homestead has been gone. This is our retirement home even though I will go back to work sometime next spring consulting part time to keep the toy money coming in. Or maybe I will have to perfect that infamous question, "would you like frys with that".

The pecan groves were severely overgrown, there was no water, sewage, electric, phone or internet on the property and only Water was available at the road. About 20 very large pecan trees, 2 small ponds and it seems like hundreds of mixed oak, cedar, pine, wild lemon and maple trees along with trees that I have no idea what they are. I also have 28 acres with an 18 acre pond of my BILs to manage. The cost in tools and useful toys has been amazing. Luckily a 1978 MF 175 with a 6" bush hog came with the property. I have bought a Yamaha Grizzly 700, A lifted Yamaha G29 Golf Cart, a garden tractor, a Husqvarna Zero Turn 54" mower, a large Chipper Shredder, a hand full of chainsaws, lopers, pitch forks, shovels and rakes and a 5X8 Utility Trailer. I also use regularly my BILs 6X18 Utility Trailer, his Kioti 4WD tractor with Front end loader and box blade and assorted tools I don't yet have. I have done some welding to pay him back for that. I also have had 6 loads of wash gravel dropped and I spread it for a drive way and parking pad. 6 Loads of dirt to build a pad for a new Manufactured home to sit on. Of course we bought the home, appliances, new living room, bedroom and dining room furniture plus all the toys (ATVs and Guns I didn't have in Illinois due to space and silly ass gun laws, yes I am a democrat AND a shooter, lol).

For the last 6 weeks we have been living in our RV and clearing the pecan groves, 2 done, 1 part way done and the biggest one just started. We also cut back the underbrush 12 to 18 feet all the way around the property. Removed 100 feet or so of pointless barbwire and fence poles, pulled about 1700 lbs of scrap metal out of the woods from where the previous owner tossed broken farm implements. In the process, I flat tore up the old 6 foot bush hog and am now looking for a 7 to 8 footer. Can't count the number of time I have sharpened all the chainsaws and probably will have to change a couple out soon.

Tomorrow finally the pad will be done and the first part of the house will be in place. Friday the other 2 parts will arrive and over the weekend and Monday and Tuesday it will get finished. We hope to see the sewage treatment plant go in on Wednesday along with the water lines run. The following Monday, the Power Company Engineer and our electrician will meet to determine where the service pole will go and soon after it will attached to the grid and the electrician will hook up the house. After that it is inspection time and then finally we can move in.

A heck of a lot more work and money that I expected but I will die right here so it is all good. The shop will be going in next, still finalizing what I am going to do. Still have a tractor shed to build and the carport roof and supports, but the end is in sight.

If you have never done this and plan to, triple the physical effort you think you will need and add 50% to the dollars you need to spend. But at least it is fun and beats the hell out of catching the 5:45AM train every day to go to Chicago and getting home about 6:30PM. And the hard works is helping me shed some weight, 2 pants sizes and 1 shirt size so far. So soon I will just be an obnoxious ass instead of an obnoxious fat ass. Hmmmm, doubt it.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Sounds like fun!


I know quite a few people in this area that have done or are in the process of what you are doing now. Lots of land purchased in far removed locations...no water, no sewer, no phone, eventually they get power. Just some land, tons of trees, and a pad for their rv.

I kinda like that idea. :mrgreen:

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

It really is beautiful and peaceful. It will give me a nice place to come back to after my part time Gigs that will probably be mainly in Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas, LA, Atlanta and New York.

The people are really welcoming and would give you the shirt off their back though they haven't quite figured out my religious leanings. Those that have are tolerant for the most part and still invite me to church :-)

I have started customizing ATV trailers and have a lot of people waiting for me to work on theirs after hunting season. Making custom racks for deer sized coolers, gas can and tool box racks, customized tie downs. As soon as my shop is done, a plasma cutter and a new TIG rig is coming home. Got a tubing bender and a tubing roller, hydraulic press and a medium sized break for decent prices. Hopefully I can do enough of that along with bumpers for these old yotas that seem to live forever here, to keep me busy so maybe only have to take a couple gigs a year.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Nice... We need to do some fossil hunting soon

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Glad you are doing this. There is a lot of satisfaction in work you do on your own place. However, a word to the wise, in my experience, if you build a shop or building it won't be big enough. They fill up before you finish em.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Reading your post really made me smile.I have been maintaining the 40 acre family farm since I was a fetus.I am the youngest of 4 and the only boy,Dad kept trying till he had a boy to help him on the farm.As soon as my legs were long enough to reach the pedals on the tractor I was plowing fields.My dad passed in 99 so it is just my mom there now.I live a few miles away so I spend all my free time there taking care of the place.The work never ends,between all the mowing and maintnance of a 200 year old farm house,along with maintaining all the equipment.We rent the fields to a local farmer and my mom got a HEALTHY check from the state for farmland preservation,and a nice tax break.Owning a big chunk of property is a ton of work but it is very gratifying.There is nothing quite like running a tractor across a field on a beautiful summer morning,it gets in your blood.Good luck with your place and have a cold one on me the next time your sitting on the back porch admiring all of your hard work!

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Sounds like a great piece of land. Take any pictures?

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Lol, I know the feeling. I am looking at a 24x32 with 2 garage doors on the 24' end facing the road, divided into half. The other end will have a man door on each side with 2 windows facing the house and 2 more facing the pasture. The 2 12'X16' bays will be for working on the toys and metal work. The other side will have an office space, reloading bench, ham radio bench with test equipment, soldering and battery charging stations and finally an RC building bench with shelves for all my scalers and boats.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

For sure. It will have to be after we finish the building but sounds like fun.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

These are from before we started and just we we started. I will take some more tomorrow.

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...y/IMG_0108.jpg
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...y/IMG_0103.jpg
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...y/IMG_0137.jpg

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Couple more recent.

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...n02/levee.jpeg
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/IMG_0167.jpg
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/IMG_0157.jpg
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/IMG_0155.jpg
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/IMG_0150.jpg

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Sweet! "thumbsup"

Looks like there is plenty of room to do some shooting! :twisted:

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Oh yeah. I think one of the pics shows one of our shooting houses. Even though I don't hunt, my BIL has killed a number of deer from there. Lots of turkey and deer around. I am planting a plot of corn to bring more in and adding a bird garden to attract the song birds.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

A liberal buddhist that lives in Mississippi and shoots guns.......that's an interesting combination. :lol:

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Lol, that's for sure. I even like ARs and AKs.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

So, really what you are saying is that if you ever saw Diane Feinstein in person, you'd hug her, then punch her in the face? :lol:

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Yes but I would do the same to Anne Coulter. Then watch my karma go to shit.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

looks like a very nice place "thumbsup" , maybe one of these years i can do something similar

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Maybe the ms river will be as low next year as it was this past summer... You'll poo bricks!

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Keep in mind, I am an old man with replaced knees. So gotta go slow.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

No problem...

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

You're one lucky SOB. Can't wait to see more progress."thumbsup"

That's a nice place you guys have there.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Used my new zero turn today, cut about an acre and then found a 3' long piece of barb wire in the grass that must have fallen out of my front end loader while cleaning up a small pond. Found out it would stop a 24HP Kohler motor dead in its tracks.

While loading up I also broke my harbor freight ATV ramps, cheap ass POS. Went to Bass Pro and got a nice set that are TIG welded.

First 2pieces of the house are done and the porch and roof go on tomorrow. Hopefully I can remember to take some pics.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Progress! After 3 days, the House is in, now waiting on Electric service (Monday or Tuesday), Sewage Treatment Plant and Water lines (next week), A bunch of trim work and clean up. Brick work and landscaping to start.

Had the Grand Daughters over for a weenie roast while we were waiting to do the external inspection and the first walk through. Service guy will be in Monday to get the A/C compressor installed and fix any outstanding issues. We hope to have the final inspection so we can plan move in right after Thanksgiving week.

Meeting the contractor Monday also for the Carport and Front Stairs. Rear deck will wait till next spring. Washer/Dryer and new furniture will be there the Thursday after Thanksgiving. Then to move all our stuff out of storage except for the shop stuff. Hopefully we can finalize the shop design and get it started in December. I am then giving the RV to my BIL and he will use it at his hunting camp all winter.

Taking a short break with a long weekend at the coast to see Joe Bonamassa in concert over the 1st of December.

Some pics from today.

Front of house
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/DSC_0758.jpg

Back
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/DSC_0756.jpg

Grand Daughters with my niece (in the middle)
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/DSC_0747.jpg

Going for a spin with Grandpa
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/DSC_0680.jpg

The Pond
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/DSC_0664.jpg

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

I couldn't visualize how big the pond was until seeing the pic. "thumbsup"

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Yeah, 18 acres doesn't really give you the sense of size, I was surprised when I first saw it and it was all grown up around it. We have an old crazy coot that cuts it for us a couple times a summer with a huge double batwing mower and a very large 4WD Kubota. Scares me just watching him. I could pull the mower with my MF but it is way to high and not 4WD, and the Kioti is too small. Just using the loader in the ditch in front of the house make me feel all tippy.

This gives you a little idea of the height of some of the levees.
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/DSC_0666.jpg

Any here is a little guy I saw from the top of the 12 foot levee
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...2/DSC_0668.jpg

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Wow, that's a good hunk of water.


How long before you drop crawlers for boats? :ror:

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

lol, good question. When I was in Northern Illinois, I have about 10 to 12 local guys but only a few places to run. Here I have lots of places to run, but from what I can figure out there is ONE local crawler. There are a few on the coast and a few up north. In between I do have Bracysdad though we have not met yet. But I love the scale builds so I will keep on with them.

All that said, I have a Miss Geico coming and may try a Spartan. I plan for a few scale boats also. Tugs of course. Might even do some real steam power.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

With that much water available, you could build a few 2 man pirate ships and have water balloon battles!

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Yar! "thumbsup"

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Now that's funny right there, I don't care who you are.

A couple RC battleships with air soft guns would be cool but tough to blow that kind of money when your retired.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

how deep is the pond? I was part owner of an aquaculter supply company for 13 years... I still have all my old contacts on chemicals, supplies, and fish if you need anything

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

The 18 acre is 10' on average for half it's length then about 4' for the other half. 8 years of growth on the bass, crappie and bluegill but had some trouble with channel cats. Can't seem to get them to take hold.

The small pond at the front f the house is about 30'X40' and is only about 2 to 3 feet deep. Going to dig it out some next summer. That is where we are going to run a fountain. If I can get it to a consistent 3 to 4 feet and get some rock in it, maybe some Koi.

The other pond is about 45' X 90' and is about 4 feet but is full of junk. Not sure if I am going to fill it in or try to clean it up.

And we are considering a new pond in the middle of the bak yard, it would be triangular about 80' at the base and 120' at the apex. It would slope from about 10' at the dam and slope to zip. More Koi there and scale boats of course.

Too much info?

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Got power into the property today, should have it to the house and a meter in by Tuesday, then final inspection so we can wrap it up and start on the pad for the carport.

I discovered I REALLY hate stringing barb wire today. And I only had to do six poles at 4 strands. Still wore me out, lol.

Got the new (to me) 6' bush hog on today. That was a bit of a bitch too. The old 3PH on the MF 175 is pretty tough to work with.

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/u...02/image-1.jpg

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Good thing my wife doesnt hang out here, i complained about cleaning up my lot in town and its tiny compared too that. Why no basement though?

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

No basement for the same reason as no brick around the crawl space. Too much movement in the sand/clay soil mixture in my area. Along with very high moisture retention. In Illinois, the same home would have been set on a basement or solid foundation.

Really doesn't bother me as my knees are shot and that would just be more stairs to climb.

The carpenter is coming by Friday to figure out the front steps and the rear deck.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Finally got electricity in the new house. Now we have all the utilities and a Fnal inspection. New living room, dining room and master bled room furniture arrives tomorrow and the alarm system gets installed. Ready to start moving in on Sunday after I get home from the Joe Bonamassa concert in Gulfport. Monday is the floor people to complete the dining room floor. Tuesday is Dish, Internet, new washer and dryer, Wednesday is new Tv and surround system installation.

Anyone got a strong back and a weak mind that loves to pickup and move massive boxes and furniture?

Now to start work on framing the slab for the shop. Really hope I can be In the shop in the next couple months. Also need to get started on the tractor shed. And the stock fence. And the shelter for the horses. And the water tank for the horse and cattle (well, 1 steer to split with my BIL. It's name is going to be "T" Bone), And the cattle feeder. And the ground broke for the wild life plot, and the landscape timer plans for the gardens. All that is under the assumption that i fail to deter my wife on the horse(s). Man, the list never ends.

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Two big dogs?

Re: What it takes to bring an old homestead back
 

Enjoy your retirement.

Any Plans on a Chicken Coup?